House sends Quinn bill to help Chinatown

January 04, 2011

SPRINGFIELD -- Chinatown won a victory Tuesday as the Democratic-led Illinois House sent to the governor a bill that would give the community a chance to consolidate its political power when new legislative district boundaries are crafted this spring.

The House approved the measure on a 67-46 vote that broke along party lines. It came as lawmakers await the results of the U.S. Census and prepared to redraw the political maps that can determine the party in power over the next decade.

Chinatown representatives have long complained the power of their bloc of about 6,000 registered voters across 59 precincts are diluted. They are divided among four House districts and three Senate districts. Their hope is to consolidate the community, for example, into one House district in hopes of having more political clout.

The legislation, sponsored by House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, would be another step toward protecting the interests of minority voters when they go to the ballot box.

The proposal also would provide for at least four public hearings on the issue of redrawing the district lines, an issue that drew concerns from Republicans. The GOP lawmakers suggested the legislation should require public hearings to be held deep into the process. They argued the hearings should be held once drafts of new legislative maps are available. Such a move, they said, would give the public a chance to have more input.

Democrats control the majorities in each chamber, and they will control the map-making process.